Mayor Don Wesely today vetoed Council approval of an oversized sign for
Westfield Shoppingtown/Gateway because the 200-square-foot sign is twice the
maximum sign size allowed by zoning.

The proposed 40-foot tall pole sign on “O” street was unanimously opposed by the
Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission and was initially rejected by the
City Council at its meeting January 27. The City Council reconsidered and
approved the sign February 3. The City-County Planning Department recommended
denial of the sign.

“I believe the case has been made that this proposed oversized pole sign sets a
poor precedent and is unfair to other businesses who have complied with the sign
zoning rules,” said Wesely. “I believe a better solution can be found.”

Current zoning regulations allow one 40-foot tall pole sign with a maximum size
of 100 square feet. Wesely said approval of a 200-square-foot sign may cause
other shopping centers to seek larger comparable signs. “As the community noted
during the billboard discussion, larger and bigger signs have an impact,”
Wesely said.

Westfield/Gateway has indicated it plans a redevelopment at the mall and that
new signage will not be needed until the East “O” Street widening project is
completed. The Mayor expressed confidence that the shopping center and City
officials can reach agreement on signs that comply with the zoning ordinance
as part of the redevelopment.